...In which our heroine presents 2008: The Year in Music

Like Chemguy, I generally don't listen to enough new music. I tend to stick to old favorites and that's about it. But even still, I've made plenty of new discoveries this year in music, they just aren't necessarily from 2008.

RADIOHEAD
This is the year I finally started listening to Radiohead. The rumors were true--they are the best rock band of the past fifeteen years are so. I've found that there isn't really ever a bad time for Radiohead, whether it be studying, cooking dinner, or as background. Thom Yorke's voice reminds me of Neil Young, and Jonny Greenwood is a damn fine guitarist. What else can I say that hasn't already been said? And they killed at Lollapalooza.
SOUNDS LIKE: Themselves. Radiohead is the standard.

THE DECEMBERISTS
I came across "O! Valencia" because I liked the title of the song. A lot of songs by The Decemberists I began to listen to simply because they had cool titles--"The Mariner's Revenge Song," "My Mother was a Chinese Trapeze Artist." I like the huge sound of the band, kind of like a more folky, less choral Arcade Fire, in addition to the incredible wordplay used by frontman Colin Meloy-- "Meet you on the soft verandah/my sweet untouched Miranda." And he's pretty cute, which doesn't hurt.
SOUNDS LIKE: Robyn Hitchcock + Arcade Fire - God

NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL
I'd always heard praise for the Athens' band's pretty much one and only album, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea but it was one of those albums I just kept putting off listening to. That was stupid, because it's a brilliant album. Beautiful songs backed by Jeff Mangum's not-so beautiful voice, but still it all works. And apparently the whole thing is a concept album about Anne Frank. Sure, that's cool.
SOUNDS LIKE: REM + Afghan Whigs - all the passive agressiveness of Greg Dulli

GIRL TALK
I've already praised the genius of Greg Gillis on here. Feed the Animals is my second most listened to album of the year, behind Radiohead's In Rainbows. Because there is such a musical variety within, I never get tired of it. It's hard for me to pick a favorite mash-up, but I'm particularly fond of Lil' Mama's "Lipgloss" with Metallica's "One."
SOUNDS LIKE: A music history lesson of the new millenium.

FLEET FOXES
A lot of online and print magazines have the Foxes self-titled debut high on their year end lists and they're right. Goregous Applachian harmonies from four scruffy lads. "White Winter Hymnal" is a perfect song for cold weather and the music is incredibly dreamy.
SOUNDS LIKE: The Beach Boys + My Morning Jacket

T. REX
I love Bowie, but had never listened to the often lauded band of Marc Bolan. Electric Warrior is an awesome relic of the glam rock era, full of lots of grandiose guitars and lyrics. Everyone knows "(Get it On) Bang a Gong" which is on this album, but "Mambo Sun" is definitely my favorite.
SOUNDS LIKE: The made-up, superstar band from Velvet Goldmine

ROCK N' ROLL: 1950-1975
I was kind of into the whole classic rock Zeppelin/Floyd/Beatles thing when we went to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame on spring break. But visting there was the closest thing I've had to a religious experience in a while. I'm a sucker for nostalgia and memorbilia and the trip to the Hall of Fame made me realize there was a whole bunch of early rock that I was missing from my life. So I went down the list of Hall of Fame inductees and augmented iTunes. The Motown sound has been a big favorite, especially the girl groups, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding. I've also quite enjoyed the 1960s hippie movement--CSNY, Cream, The Allman Brothers Band.
SOUNDS LIKE: Heathen music, made for damn dope-smoking, fornicating hellions

Enjoy Katydid's music picks of 2008

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